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I N TE R N A TI O N A L D O C T O R A L P R O G R A M M E
I N B I O P R O D U C T S TE C H N O L O G Y
PaPSaT doctoral course co- organized with BOKU, and TU Graz
Puu-23.6090 ADVANCES IN BIOREFINERIES (8 ECTS)
June 29 - July 3, 2015
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The aim of the course is to provide an in-depth understanding of the currently existing and novel
lignocellulosic biorefinery concepts and the key-economic barriers and regulatory policies affecting
commercial implementation of lignocellulosic biorefineries. In the first part, the mechanical, chemical,
biochemical and engineering fundamentals of biomass pretreatment and fractionation processes are
reviewed and discussed. Main emphasis is laid on the downstream processes because they account for
more than 60% of the total costs. Supercritical fluids, near critical water, gas-expanded liquids and new,
reactive solvents such as ionic liquids as well as homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis will be
introduced in detail. The second part of the course will provide an overview on the conversion routes of the
isolated lignocellulosic components, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and resins into high value-added
platforms, building blocks, intermediates and final products. Finally, some business cases of commercial
biorefineries will be introduced.
Lecturers:
Prof. Herbert Sixta, Aalto University School of Chemical Technology, Finland
Dr. Stefan Böhmdorfer, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku), Austria
Prof. Claudia Crestini, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
Dr. Ed de Jong, Vice-President Development, Avantium, Netherlands
Prof. Wolgang Gindl-Altmutter, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku), Austria
Prof. Roger Gläser, University of Leipzig, Germany
Dr. Susanne Lux, Graz University of Technology, Austria
Prof. Berndt Nidetzky, Graz University of Technology, Austria
Dr. Daniela Painer, Graz University of Technology, Austria
Prof. Christoph Pfeifer, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku), Austria
Prof. Antje Potthast, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku), Austria
Prof. Thomas Rosenau, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku), Austria
Professor Stefan Schleicher, Institute für Volkswirtschaftslehre, University of Graz
Prof. Matthäus Siebenhofer, Graz University of Technology, Austria
Prof. Adriaan van Heiningen, Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, University of Maine, USA
LOCATION
Graz, Austria, Inffeldgasse 13, Hörsaal (lecture hall) i8
http://portal.tugraz.at/portal/page/portal/zid/p_infrastruktur/hoersaele/hoersaal?roomID=16583
COURSE FEE
The course fee is 400 euros. PaPSaT and FPIRC students do not have to pay the fee. Also students who
study in Aalto University School of Chemical Technology and have the course in their accepted study plan
can attend the course for free, as well as students from TU Graz, University of Graz, and BOKU. More
information about the payment of the course fee will be given later.
REGISTRATION
Registration should be made by 31 May 2015:
https://www.webropolsurveys.com/S/E4CD06A5507E3349.par
Course leader: Prof. Herbert Sixta, herbert.sixta(at)aalto.fi
Course arrangements: Planning Officer Leena Hauhio, leena.hauhio(at)aalto.fi
I N TE R N A TI O N A L D O C T O R A L P R O G R A M M E
I N B I O P R O D U C T S TE C H N O L O G Y
SCHEDULE
Monday 29.6.
Lecturer
8:00 - 8:30
Registration
8:30 - 9:15
Introduction to biorefineries including the historical background
Herbert Sixta
9:30 - 10:15
Introduction to biorefineries including the historical background
Herbert Sixta
Coffee
Pretreatment of biomass: Impregnation phenomena,
pretreatment
processes
10:45 - 11:30
Pretreatment of biomass: Impregnation phenomena,
11:45 - 12:30 pretreatment processes
10:15- 10:45
Lunch
Pretreatment of biomass: Impregnation phenomena,
13:30 - 14:15 pretreatment processes
Adriaan van Heiningen
Adriaan van Heiningen
12:30 - 13:30
Adriaan van Heiningen
14:30 - 15:15
Chemistry of lignocellulosic constitutents
15:15 - 15:45
Coffee
15:45 - 16:30
Chemistry of lignocellulosic constitutents
Stefan Böhmdorfer
16:45 - 17:30
Chemistry of lignocellulosic constitutents
Stefan Böhmdorfer
Stefan Böhmdorfer
Tuesday 30.6.
8:30 - 9:15
Commercial and novel fractionation methods
Herbert Sixta
9:30 - 10:15
Commercial and novel fractionation methods
Herbert Sixta
10:15 - 10:45
Coffee
10:45 - 11:30
Commercial and novel fractionation methods
11:45 - 12:30
Green Chemistry: principles
12:30 - 13:30
Lunch
13:30 - 14:15
Green Chemistry: synthesis routes
Thomas Rosenau
14:30 - 15:15
Green Chemistry: cellulose solvents and their chemistry
Thomas Rosenau
Coffee
Bioprocess engineering: biochemical pretreatment of biomass,
15:45 - 16:30 production of chemicals
Bioprocess engineering: biochemical pretreatment of biomass,
16:45 - 17:30 production of chemicals
Herbert Sixta
Thomas Rosenau
15:15 - 15:45
Bernd Nidetzky
Bernd Nidetzky
Wednesday
01.07.
8:30 - 9:15
Biorefinery analytics: characterization of process streams
Antje Potthast
9:30 - 10:15
Biorefinery analytics: monomers, oligomers, polymers
Antje Potthast
10:15 - 10:45
Coffee
10:45 - 11:30
Separation and purification: mass transfer and its applications
11:45 - 12:30
Separation and purification: mass transfer and its applications
12:30 - 13:30
Lunch
13:30 - 14:15
Separation and purification: mass transfer and its applications
Daniela Painer/Matthäus
Siebenhofer
14:30 - 15:15
Catalysed conversion of renewables to sustainable chemicals
Roger Gläser
Matthäus Siebenhofer
Susanne Lux/Matthäus
Siebenhofer
I N TE R N A TI O N A L D O C T O R A L P R O G R A M M E
I N B I O P R O D U C T S TE C H N O L O G Y
and fuels
Coffee
Catalysed conversion of renewables to sustainable chemicals
15:45 - 16:30 and fuels
15:15 - 15:45
17:30
Thursday
02.07
8:30 - 9:15
Buffé / Networkinf event
Catalysed conversion of renewables to sustainable chemicals
and fuels
9:30 - 10:15
Thermochemical conversion of forest biomass
10:15 - 10:45
Coffee
Thermochemical conversion of forest biomass
Lignin biorefinery: production and characteristics of lignin-based
11:45 - 12:30 products
10:45 - 11:30
Lunch
Lignin biorefinery: production and characteristics of lignin-based
13:30 - 14:15 products
Lignin biorefinery: production and characteristics of lignin-based
14:30 - 15:15 products
Roger Gläser
altogether
Roger Gläser
Adriaan van Heiningen
Adriaan van Heiningen
Claudia Crestini
12:30 - 13:30
Claudia Crestini
Claudia Crestini
15:15 - 15:45
Coffee
15:45 - 16:30
Biofuel
Martin Mittelbach/S.
Schober
16:45 - 17:30
Biofuel
Nikolaus Schwaiger
Friday 03.07
8:30 - 9:15
9:30 - 10:15
Biofuel
Hemicellulose biorefinery: production and characteristics of
hemicellulose-based products
Christoph Pfeifer
Ed de Jong
Coffee
Hemicellulose biorefinery: production and characteristics of
10:45 - 11:30 hemicellulose-based products
Polymer reinforcement with cellulose fibers. Basic concepts,
11:45 - 12:30 limitations and opportunities
Ed de Jong
Wolfgang GindlAltmutter
Lunch
Polymer reinforcement with cellulose fibers. Basic concepts,
13:30 - 14:15 limitations and opportunities
Wolfgang GindlAltmutter
10:15 - 10:45
12:30 - 13:30
14:30 - 15:15
Economic and ecological aspects of biomass refining
Stefan Schleicher
15:30 - 16:15
Economic and ecological aspects of biomass refining
Stefan Schleicher
16:15 - 17:00
Coffee
I N TE R N A TI O N A L D O C T O R A L P R O G R A M M E
I N B I O P R O D U C T S TE C H N O L O G Y
Dr. Stefan Böhmdorfer
Stefan Böhmdorfer received his PhD at Boku University in 2009 for synthetic and
analytic work on Vitamin E model compounds. He is currently an assistant professor at
Boku´s Department of Chemistry and pursues his habilitation in the field of Biorefinery
analytics. His research is centered on method development for the chemical analysis
of biomass based process streams.
Prof. Claudia Crestini
Dr. Claudia Crestini is member of the International Academy of Wood Science and
chairwoman of the Interuniversity Consortium for Materials Science and
Technology. She is a director of a Research Group consisting of 3 Post-doctoral
Fellows, 1 Ph D Student, 1 Graduate Student. She is author of 2 books and has
over 120 publications on international refereed journals, and over 50 scientific
oral contributions at international conferences, meetings and schools. Her papers
have been cited over 1700 times and her h-index is 33 (Google Scholar). Her
research activity is now mainly directed towards the following topics: Structural characterization of
polyphenolic biomolecules by advanced heteronuclear NMR techniques and quantitative 2D
heterocorrelated NMR spectroscopy; Development of new materials from lignins and tannins; Study of
supramolecular association-dissociation behavior in lignin; Development of supported catalysts and
biomimetic catalysts for the activation of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide to the selective oxidation and
functionalization of natural substances; Biocatalysis in processes of lignin degradation, with a special focus
on the study of manganese peroxidase, laccases and laccase-mediator systems; Detection of radical species
by 31P- based spin trap systems in oxidative systems: Lipoxigenase, laccase, bleaching solutions.
Dr. Ed de Jong
Ed de Jong graduated at Agricultural University Wageningen, the Netherlands and also
defended his PhD thesis at the Agricultural University Wageningen, the Netherlands on
the degradation of lignocellulose by white-rot fungi (1993). He has been research
associate for 3 years at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada at the
group of Jack Saddler, on the use of softwood species for biofuels application. He has
been Head of the Department of Fibre and Paper Technology, Food and Biobased
Research, Wageningen University & Research Centre, The Netherlands. He joint
Avantium Chemicals in 2007. He is currently VP Development – responsible for PublicPrivate partnerships of Avantium, feedstock selection and Catalytic Biomass Conversion of carbohydrates
into building blocks for polyesters such as PEF an improved replacement of PET. He is involved in site
selection for the first commercial demonstration plant for the YXY technology. He is member of the board
of the Topconsortium Knowledge and Innovation BioBased Economy (TKI-BBE). He is co-chair of the IEABioenergy Task 42 on biorefineries.
Prof. Wolgang Gindl-Altmutter
Wolgang Gindl-Altmutter received his PhD in 2000 from University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences (Boku). The topic of his thesis was “Climate induced
variability of wood formation, lignification and wood quality”. He currently holds a
chair as a full professor of Bio-based Fibre Materials, and he is Head of Institute at
BOKU Vienna. His research interests include: past activities on basic and applicationoriented projects on wood adhesion, and on structure-mechanical property
relationships in cellulosic materials. Presently, focus is on fibrillated cellulose, its
production, properties, and application perspectives. He has more than 140 scientific
publications.
I N TE R N A TI O N A L D O C T O R A L P R O G R A M M E
I N B I O P R O D U C T S TE C H N O L O G Y
Dr. Susanne Lux
Susanne Lux received her PhD in 2009 from Graz University of Technology, Austria. She
is currently an assistant professor in Institute of Chemical Engineering and
Environmental Technology Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria. Her research
focus include chemical reaction engineering, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic
reactions, process intensification, and reactive separations.
Daniela Painer
Daniela Painer graduated in 2013 as Dipl.-Ing. from Graz University of Technology,
Austria. She is currently a university assistant in Institute of Chemical Engineering and
Environmental Technology, Graz University of Technology. Her main research field is
reaction engineering.
Prof. Christoph Pfeifer
Christoph Pfeifer studied chemical engineering at the Vienna University of Technology,
and obtained his PhD at 2005. He is currently a full professor for Process Engineering
of Renewable Resources at University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku),
Austria. His research focuses on thermo-chemical conversion of biomass and other
carbonaceous feedstock materials (waste, residues from agriculture and forestry, coal,
etc.). Especially gasification (atmospheric and pressurized), combustion and
hydrothermal carbonization is dealt with. Moreover, catalytic gas cleaning of producer
gas from thermo-chemical biomass conversion is investigated. In the team process
optimisation using simulation software tools and generally fundamental know-how about cold flow
modelling of fluidized bed systems is available.
Prof. Antje Potthast
Antje Potthast received her PhD in 1998 from Dresden University of
Technology and Habilitation in 2003 from University of Natural Resources
and Life Sciences (Boku), Austria. Her current position is Associate
Professor at the Department of Chemistry, BOKU, with specialization
“Biopolymer analysis” and Co-leader in Christian-Doppler-Laboratory with
specialization "Advanced cellulose chemistry and analytics". She has more
than 180 scientific publications.
Prof. Thomas Rosenau
Thomas Rosenau studied chemistry at Dresden University of Technology, Germany, and
received his Doctoral degree (Chemistry and Toxicology) 1997. Year 2003 he was
granted Habilitation for organic chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life
Sciences (BOKU), Austria. Since 2005 he has been professor, Chair of Wood, Pulp and
Fiber Chemistry at BOKU, Austria. Since 2008 he has been also a co-leader at the
Christian Doppler Laboratory: "Advanced cellulose chemistry and analytics".
I N TE R N A TI O N A L D O C T O R A L P R O G R A M M E
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Prof. Matthäus Siebenhofer
Matthäus Siebenhofer studied technical chemistry and chemical engineering at Graz
University of Technology, and obtained his PhD at 1983. After working several years in
industry he returned to the University, and since 2005 he has been a professor at the
Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, Graz University of
Technology, Austria. From 2008 he has also been the Head of the Institute of Chemical
Engineering and Environmental Technology.
Prof. Herbert Sixta
Herbert Sixta studied chemistry at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and obtained
his Ph.D. on heterogeneous catalysis involving Fischer Tropsch reactions in 1982.
After 25 years in industry he accepted a call to the Helsinki University of Technology
in 2007. He currently holds a chair in Biorefineries at the Department of Forest
Products Technology. From 2014 He has also been the Head of the Department of
Forest Products Technology. His research focuses on the conversion of existing pulp
mills to biorefineries, novel fractionation technologies, the characterization and
design of ionic liquids for the dissolution and regeneration of lignocellulosic polymers.